Black King's Daughter
by Violet Eagle
Summary: Two hundred years have passed. Alagaesia is at peace. The Riders are flourishing under Florina and Eragon. Nasuada's line still sits on the throne. But the second betrayal approaches on the wind and with it comes trouble for the Golden Rider. Sequel to Selena's Daughter. Rated T for possible cursing
1. A New Generation

**Hello everyone, I have returned and bring with me a new fic. Here is the first chapter of Black King's Daughter, the sequel to Selena's Daughter. Yes, it continues with Florina and Kuldra as well as her brothers. Enjoy!**

**Same as before: _Bold Italic is Florina/Kuldra thought and conversation; _bold is Eragon/Saphira thought and conversation and **_italics are regular thought speech for everyone else._

**As before, I only own my OC's which are the new Riders, Florina's son (not the namesake), her daugher and of course FLorina and Kuldra and any OC's that show up or are from the previous fic.**

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><p>She looked up at the sound of steel clashing and chuckled to herself. <em><strong>"Those two are always fighting." <strong>_She told the large gold creature next to her and whom she was leaning against.

_**"What do you expect? They're your children."**_

_** "I never fought like this."**_

_** "Oh yes you did." **_She blushed and closed her book with a snap. The dragon chuckled and stood as her Rider did. She had fought with her brother on her decision to ferry the eggs and they had ended up in a fist fight. That had been ten years before the twins had been born. She and Lifaen had a son and a daughter. They had named her after his mother, Delinnëa (Nëa). Their son they had named after her master, Oromis. In fact, they were getting ready to go and see her brother.

"Children! Hurry or I will leave without you." She called to them. She had been unsure that she and Lifaen would have been able to have children. She was pleasantly surprised when they had discovered she was pregnant. That had been twenty years ago. At twenty, the children looked like a pleasant mix of their parents. Nëa and Oromis had their mother's black hair and darkish skin but had their father's facial structure, though a little rougher, and his eyes. She was glad that they had his eyes. Her eyes reminded everyone, including her, of the man who had truly sired her and who had caused great war and strife in Alagaësia. It had ended with him being killed by her and her half-brother, Eragon and Nasuada becoming queen.

Delinnëa and Oromis tumbled into the bowl where their mother and her dragon waited for them. They both had their packs and swords. She sighed and chuckled some more. Being now two hundred years old, Kuldra was able to carry three full grown adults with little trouble. Florina bounded up a leg and settled first. The twins followed with Nëa settling in the middle. She wrapped an arm securely around her mother's waist and Kuldra jumped into the air. Below, younger dragons roared in farewell, their Riders waving the family off.

In the two hundred years that had passed, the Riders had grown, coming in batches of four. And each was from a different race as each of the four races had an egg that was passed between them, waiting for the dragon to hatch. She and Eragon had amended the spell to include the Urgals and dwarves who had been left out in the first and second versions. Which is why she had to go. Arya had contacted her and told her that three more eggs had hatched: a human, a dwarf, and an Urgal. They were now ready to go to Eragon who would complete their training and she would return for them to take them to Vroengard which she had cleansed of the poison air and the burrow grubs. She had made sure that each of those grubs was destroyed, never forgetting the torment she had witnessed Nasuada go through with only one.

The trip across the ocean took the trio half a day since Kuldra was so grown. By the end of the other half, they were at the edge of Du Weldenvaraden. Kuldra landed and they walked into the forest to get through the shields that were still in place. They spent the night under the trees and in the morning arrived at the Crags of Tel'naeír where they dropped off their bags. She would meet the new Riders the next day. First, she wanted to introduce Arya to her children. Kuldra leapt into the air again and was joined by a green dragon. It attacked her, but Kuldra was a natural flyer and the stunt didn't bother her. Her counter move had the twins sick and Florina shouting with joy. They had never understood her excitement.

_"Greetings, Fírnen. How are you today?" _Florina asked as they glided to the city.

_"I am well. Arya is busy again."_

_ "Well, tell her that I come and I bring people who want to meet her."_

_ "Are you sure they are yours? They look more like Arya than you." _Florina laughed.

_"Just go." _An hour later, Kuldra was landing in the practice fields and found her closest friend waiting for her. They greeted each other and then hugged. "It has been too long." Florina said in the ancient language.

"Yes it has." Arya agreed. "The last time I had seen you, it was concerning the eggs. That was what, thirty years ago."

"You know it was." Florina laughed.

"So what has kept you away from us?" Florina gestured to her children and they stepped forward.

"Delinnëa, Oromis, Queen Arya of the Elves. Arya, these are mine and Lifaen's children. They were born twenty years ago."

Arya's nearly bulged. "You and Lifaen?" Florina nodded. "I didn't think it was possible."

"Neither did I, until they were conceived. They wanted to come and see why I always left every year so I let them come. Be patient with them. This is the first they have left Vroengard. And you are the first besides other Riders to see them."

"Out of my way." A gruff voiced huffed as she pushed her way through the crowd. Florina smiled. "Well, it's about time you show up. I've been waiting to see you." Rhunön grabbed Nëa by the arm and pulled her around to face her.

"Mother?" The girl questioned and Rhunön looked at her.

"She looks more like her father." Her eyes darted to Oromis. "So does he."

"Queen Arya!" Everyone turned and saw an elf carrying a silver egg towards them. Everyone could see that he was nervous. Florina could see the cracks.

"When did this happen?" The queen demanded.

"Just now." Florina recognized the elf now. It was Vanir. He put the egg on the ground. "I think it heard her voice." He pointed to Delinnëa. Florina turned to her daughter. She was pale with fright. Florina placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder and guided her to the egg which started shaking again. Florina nodded and forced her daughter to kneel. Oromis looked on, joy in his eyes for his sister.

"Pick it up, Nëa. It'll be alright."

"But I didn't want this." The girl breathed. "I never dreamed I would be a Rider." Florina knelt next to her daughter. "I'm afraid, Mamma." Florina hugged her daughter's shoulders, remembering her fear as the stone her father had found in the cove revealed itself to be an egg.

"Nëa, being a Rider is not something you choose. It chooses you. Are you going to let this little dragon be alone when it has found who it has chosen to be its Rider? This egg chose you, out of all that had touched it, it chose you to be its partner. And I will tell you one thing, my girl. Being a Rider is the best thing in the world." Florina looked at her own dragon, her partner-of-life. They had done and seen so much in the first few years of their bond.

_"Young One, I chose your mother because of what I saw in her." _Kuldra told the twenty year old elf. Nëa looked at her mother's dragon. She had played on her tail when she was only a toddler. Listened to her father joke about them being Riders like their mother. She never thought I was possible. That no dragon would want a child who was technically a half-breed, a child of human and elf blood. The egg broke more in front of her. _"You have something inside you that this dragon has been looking for. That makes you special. Will you deny her your friendship?"_ Nëa bit her lip and then Oromis was next to her.

"I'm not jealous," he whispered. "I hoped to be one, but you have been chosen. Maybe one day my chance will come. But for now, Little Sister, it is your time. Don't pass this up. You've seen Mom and Kuldra when they are in the sky together. She shouted with joy just hours ago. I know that's something you've dreamed of having. Plus, this will get you off Vroengard. Don't you want that?" Then he was gone and it was only Florina sitting next to her. Nëa looked at her mother and saw the pride and joy in her eyes. Her dark eyes made the girl wonder who her grandfather was and why her mother never spoke of him. This was her chance.

_"I'll do this on one condition." _She told her mother. _"You tell me about your birth father, the man who sired you."_ Florina looked at her. Nëa thought she suddenly saw a darkness in her already dark eyes, but then it passed.

_"Agreed."_ Nëa breathed and reached for the egg. It broke more and a dragon flopped out. She gasped in awe. The hatchling was beautiful and looked around in longing. Florina nudged her arm and Nëa extended her hand to the creature. The resulting feeling was an icy blast of energy running up her arm, burning like molten lead in her veins. She fell to the side, into her mother's arms, as an iron clang filled her ears. Florina stroked her hair until she was able to move again in a few minutes. Arya arrived with scraps of meat from Fírnen's earlier hunt.

"Feed it. It's bound to be hungry." The queen smiled and the elves cheered.

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><p>"I thought it was only three. That's what Arya told me. Now you say there are four new Riders for me to train." They walked down the hall of the castle he had built to be his school and home. Above it were the dragon caves for Saphira and her pupils and guests.<p>

"No, there are only three for you to train. I will be training the fourth."

"And why will you be training the fourth? Who is it? And who are we going to meet? You've kept me in the dark long enough, Sister. It's grating on the nerves, especially for not having talked in the last thirty years. I don't even know what you've been up to except what the Riders I've sent to you have told me."

"All your questions will be answered. Just wait a few more minutes." Florina sighed. She had left her children and the hatchling in the entrance hall with the other Riders who had followed her to Eragon and Saphira. Arya had not gone with them having duties of her own to complete. Florina had her responsibilities as well, and this was one of them. The siblings walked into the entrance hall. The three Riders whose dragons were grown enough to fill half of the room looked in their direction. Eragon looked at his new students appraisingly. He nodded, determining that they were ready. An elf stepped from a doorway to lead them to their rooms and also ushered in four Riders whose training was complete. Though, it was Florina who ultimately determined that outcome.

"So, those are the three I expected to see. Where is this fourth?"

"Is Saphira about?"

_"I am here."_ The sapphire dragon walked in from a large archway and settle behind Eragon. She was just slightly younger than Kuldra, but only by a few months.

"Good. Delinnëa, Oromis. You can come out now." Eragon's eyes widened in disbelief as the two young adults stepped from behind Kuldra and stood next to Florina. "Eragon, Saphira, these are my children." Florina beamed with pride. A small creel broke the silence and a silver dragon landed on Delinnëa's shoulder. "Delinnëa, Oromis, meet your uncle."

"Hello, Uncle," Oromis greeted. "Mother has told us much about you and how you helped take down the old Empire.

_"Eragon!" _Umaroth called immediately after Oromis had stopped speaking. The four of them rushed to the egg room where the Eldunarí and the eggs were kept. A bronze egg was rocking violently on the shelf. Eragon retrieved it and found a small crack. He looked at his nephew a moment before handing him the egg. Oromis knelt without being told and they waited. Moments later, the egg broke and a bronze dragon toppled out. Oromis touched it without hesitation and Florina had to rush to catch him before he fell into the heat source of the room. Eragon had been too stunned to react.

"Two in the matter of a week. And they're siblings of our family." Florina said. "The dragon's like something about Selena's line." She joked. Eragon only scowled.

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><p><strong>I hope it didn't seem rushed, but there it is. Two new Riders from Selena and Galbatorix's line. If you are wondering, now, Eragon and Arya have not gotten together yet. Not sure if it'll happen. Looking forward to hearing what you think. Thanks for reading!<strong>


	2. Digging up the Past

**Sorry if the last chapter seemed rushed. I know it did to one reviewer, but I was trying to get in the important bits without making it too long. I hope this one satisfies you. As for Selena's children always being Riders, I don't mean for it to be that way. I'm actually base it off parents as Riders. Brom, Morzan, and Galbatorix were all Riders and so were their children. It only made sense to have Florina's children be Riders as well. Anyway, thank you all for your reviews, and if you don't like me responding to reviews before the chapter, please let me know and I'll change where I respond to them.**

**Thanks, and enjoy 'Digging up the Past' (this chapter)**

**Disclaimer (which I think I forgot in the last chapter): I only own Florina and her family (except her husband) and any other OC's that appear.**

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><p>They walked in silence. The two new Riders were asleep in the guest hall with their dragons. The two oldest Riders were worried about what it meant. They were both children of Riders themselves and she was the daughter of the worst of them who had betrayed his fellow Riders and took power for a hundred years.<p>

"Why didn't you tell me you had children?"

"We weren't talking. I tried telling you when they were born, to show you through the mirror. But you had blocked me and I wasn't going to use the name just to talk to you. I figured you would talk to me when you were ready. She wants to know."

"Who wants to know what?"

"Delinnëa, she wants to know about Galbatorix. She's caught on that I never speak of my birth father, only Caleb. She wants to know about her blood grandfather and I don't know how to tell her what he did. I'm afraid, Eragon. The blood magic isn't gone. I fear that if someone recognizes me as the queen instead, that it'll take control and Kuldra won't be able to stop me. When she made the deal with me, I felt a shadow of it try to grasp my heart." She hugged herself. She wished she had Lifaen with her, but she had left him behind because though Kuldra was large, the hollow where the Riders sat was too small for four people. It barely held three. And she had promised her children they would see the elves and meet their uncle this trip. Eragon placed a hand on her shoulder and then pulled her into a hug.

"Don't be afraid, Florina. Anyone who would recognize you as the queen is long dead. Everyone knows that Nasuada's son is the king. If anyone alive does think that you are the queen, everyone else will think that they are crazy. Only you, me, Lifaen, the elves, and the dragons know the truth. No one else. They are all dead. Remember that, they are all dead."

"Not all of them." Florina whispered as she pulled out of his arm. "There is one other who could make the magic come back. We haven't seen him since the day we killed my sire, but he still lives. You and I both know he does. I know you have scryed him. I have to."

"He won't, Florina. He's changed. And besides, he wouldn't do that to you, his sister."

"We don't know what Galbatorix has done to him. What if he did place a blood bond between me and Murtagh and it's only because he is gone that nothing has happened yet?"

"Florina, listen to yourself. Do you really think Galbatorix would have done that?"

"Yes." The answer was curt, but all the more deadly for it. Eragon had nothing to say to it either so she continued. "You didn't get a chance to know him, Eragon. Not like me and Murtagh did."

"You didn't have much of a chance,"

"I was there for months, Eragon! Every day, he would come to me and talk to me and tell me his grand plan for the Riders and that I would be the one to lead them because Kuldra was the oldest after Shruikan! He would tell me that I would be queen and that everything would be alright. That the fighting would be forever ended because Saphira and Kuldra would mate with either Thorn or the green egg. Kuldra and Saphira would have been the mothers of their race for this new generation. If he hadn't threatened Kuldra, if I hadn't been raised by Caleb, I might have sided with him. If I had been raised in his palace and I didn't have Kuldra, I would have fought on the battlefield for my father as I would have believed I was. Don't you see, Eragon? If I hadn't met everyone then, when I did, things may have gone very differently. I may have turned out like Murtagh. And that scares me because it could still happen. Even though he is dead, the man who sired me still haunts my every step, waiting for me to make one false move."

Eragon grabbed his sister's shoulders and shook her. "Listen to yourself. If you let yourself think this way, that blood magic will take hold of you again! I saw you that day you nearly killed Orrin! I saw you and the fear in your eyes when you realized what you had nearly done and what you would have done had Däthedr not been there."

"You also tried to stop me."

"I wanted to make sure you were alright. You were as much of a prisoner as Nasuada and Murtagh, maybe more. He claimed you as his daughter. To be claimed like that by that type of man is not something one can come out unscathed. Look at the shape I was in after Murtagh said my father was his."

"But then you found out that it was a lie. The truth I was given was not a lie. The lie had been the truth I had grown up with. That Caleb had sired me. _That_ was damaging. I was sired by a monster. You were sired by a hero." She held onto Naegling's hilt as she looked out the window, letting the metal bite into her flesh to drive away the memories and the darkness that threatened to overwhelm her.

"Florina, your hand." Eragon mumbled. But she didn't hear him. She was lost in her own dark memories of the days she had spent in her birthfather's castle and didn't notice that she was gripping the blade of her sword.

_"Mamma," _a quiet voice said, but she heard. The voice had been in her head and it was a memory. _**"Mamma, look!" The little girl jumped off the gold dragon's head only to be snatched, gently, by said dragon. She laughed at the pout as the little girl was set in her mother's waiting arms.**_

_** "What are you trying to do, fly like a dragon?" Mother and daughter laughed. **_

"Mamma, your hand!" Florina snapped back to reality to find her daughter, no longer five years old, but twenty, trying to pull her mother's hand off the blade of her sword. Florina finally realized the pain and let go. Delinnëa healed it and then held onto it, afraid that her mother would slip back into whatever fit had taken hold of her.

"I'm okay now." Florina whispered.

"Are you sure?" Eragon asked. Florina could see his concern, but Nëa didn't and stepped in front of her mother as if to protect her.

"Stay back. You sent her into that fit. I was listening to what you two were saying. Whatever,"

"Delinnëa!" She turned at her mother's harsh tone and noticed that she was glaring. There was no warmth in her dark eyes like there had always been, just cold anger. It was gone a moment after the younger woman had seen it and the warmth returned, but Nëa still had the impression that she was in trouble. "Your uncle did not cause this. This is something that my birthfather did. Eragon had nothing to do with it. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Mother." Nëa whispered.

"Come, I need to check their progress and make sure that they are indeed ready to come to Vroengard with us." She turned on her heel and walked down the hall. Eragon smirked.

**"She's back. I missed her."**

** "You should learn to watch your tongue, Little One. If she didn't have the control she does, she would have killed you."**

** "I know."**

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><p>Delinnëa looked at her dragon. She was silver and reflected the moonlight with a magical glow. She was humbled by the fact that a dragon would choose them, half-breeds, for Riders. Oromis didn't see it that way. He believed that it didn't matter if one was a half-breed or not and often used their mother as an example by saying that she was a cursed child because of how she was conceived and she was still chosen by Kuldra.<p>

"You should be sleeping." Her mother's voice came from the doorway.

"I can't. Not with what happened to you today." Florina looked at her hand.

"I made you a deal. It's time a keep that promise since you can't back out of your end of the deal."

"I don't think I'd ever back out. She has made me see things in a whole new light." Florina smiled and sat on the bed next to her daughter.

"Still, a deal is a deal." Nëa sat next to her mother. "What I told you and your brother about how I was created was a lie." Nëa noticed that she hesitated, as if afraid what telling her daughter would do.

"You don't have to, Mamma."

"Yes, Child. I do. You need to understand what happened today. You to, Oromis." Nëa looked up sharply and saw her brother with his dragon asleep in his arms standing in her door. Oromis walked into the room and sat on the lone chair. "My mother was a woman, a human, named Selena. I never knew her, but she is also the mother of Eragon and, another brother of ours. This other brother is the oldest of the three of us and was only a year old when I was conceived. King Galbatorix wanted to pay his favorite servant, Morzan, a visit. But Morzan was not at his castle. Only his wife and child. Galbatorix had his way with her and Selena fled. She arrived in a coastal town called Kuasta where she birthed a daughter and left her with a blacksmith to be cared for. This blacksmith was Caleb and I am that child. What I told you about growing up is true. As well as what happened in the war. But I didn't tell you two everything."

_**"Are you sure about this, Brave One?" **_Kuldra interrupted.

_** "I have to tell them, Kuldra. They have to know what they are dealing with."**_ Florina faced her children and continued. "Selena's oldest child is named Murtagh and he rides the red dragon Thorn. He was the Red Rider on the Burning Plains. After that battle, he returned and pretended that he had come for Eragon and Saphira who were still young in their own rights. But he had truly been there for me. Once Eragon had fainted from the use of too much magic, I took up the fight. But that was my mistake. At the time, your father was leading the spell casters sent to protect Kuldra and me. He got left behind and so it was only eleven elves, a dragon, and me against Murtagh. I underestimated Galbatorix. He was able to take control of Murtagh from the distance between them and capture me by wearing down my own endurance. When I came to, I was in the castle in Ilirea. But it was Urû'baen at the time. That's where I learned that Galbatorix had raped Selena. Though he didn't actually use that word. I found that out later from a memory from my foster father. But I was in that castle for most of the latter part of the war, doing what I could to thwart him. You remember me telling you of my masters, we had learned that they were nearing Gil'ead. I was planning on escaping to the north with Kuldra, to make Galbatorix try to find me and give the Varden and the elves the opening they needed. But the king sent Murtagh to Gil'ead and Kuldra and I followed. Our masters died and Oromis gave me Naegling. We tried avenging them, but Murtagh and Thorn led us close enough to Galbatorix that he was able to capture us again.

"I was threatened with Kuldra's life and so I sent Kuldra away. I hope you never have to experience that. When Nasuada was captured and brought to the castle, I was forced to watch her torture and learn what I would have to do as queen. I tried getting her away and for that I was beaten."

"Mamma, how did Galbatorix even know of you?" Oromis interrupted.

"My foster mother, Emily. She was barren and she thought up the lie that I grew up with. Some months after Kuldra had hatched for me, she was captured by Galbatorix and was held in his dungeons for months. When she finally broke, she told him about me and that I was his child and not Caleb's. I fought the truth, but he believed her enough to use blood magic. He bound me to the throne through his blood which is my blood. I didn't learn about this, and the truth, until after he was dead. I learned about the blood bond to the throne when I nearly killed a human king who tried to take it. I fled. I struggled to control the darkness that threatened to control me." Nëa remembered the darkness she had seen flash through her mother's eyes when the silver egg had hatched and she had demanded to know about her grandfather. Now she wished she hadn't asked. "I still struggle to control it sometimes. Even though I have given up the throne to Nasuada and her line, I know that it is just waiting for its chance to control me.

"That is what happened today with my hand. I thought I had grabbed Naegling's hilt when I actually grabbed the blade. I was trying to keep it at bay. I think I was losing when you came in, Nëa. Your voice sent me a memory of when you jumped off Kuldra's nose, remember, and she caught you and you were pouting. Then you pulled me from my own mind and I felt the pain." Florina hugged both of her children. "The reason I don't talk about my parent is because of the darkness he placed in me. I am afraid of what he did. He never said if he bonded Murtagh to me the way he bound me to the throne, but that doesn't mean he didn't. That's what scares me the most. And it'll always scare me." Oromis pulled out a gold, white lined rose from his pocket and tucked it behind his mother's ear.

"Dad told me that if you ever felt scared while on the trip that I was to give this to you, to remind you that there is at least one man who loves you, darkness and all." Florina smiled at her son.

"Thank you." She whispered. "Both of you.".

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><p><strong>Well, what do you think? ;) ;) Can't wait for your reviews. Thanks for reading. Again, if you'd prefer i respond to reviews at the end of the chapter, feel free to let me know. :)<strong>


	3. Fears

**More sweetness from Lifaen! Enjoy!**

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><p>A lone figure raced to the landing area as the gold dragon landed, careful not jar her sleeping Rider. Four other dragons circled for a moment while Kuldra walked towards Lifaen gently. He smiled and took Florina from the saddle and, holding her with one arm around her waist, took Kuldra's saddle as well and set it on the ground. He looked at the new Riders and noticed that his children were not among them.<p>

_"Where are my children, Kuldra?" _He asked.

_"They elected to stay with their uncle for now." _She said and he got the sense that she was hiding something from him.

_"What happened?"_

_ "Nothing that can't wait until Florina wakes up. She was exhausted from testing the Riders. Though, I think she thinks that they have some more learning to do before receiving their swords." _The new Riders and their dragons joined them and bowed slightly to Lifaen.

"Lord Lifaen," one greeted. He had blond hair and blue eyes and was slight of build. He could be mistaken for an elf if he didn't have the roundness in his face which marked him as human. Lifaen nodded. "It is an honor to be here with the Riders and under Lady Golden Rider's command. We have heard what she did during the war alongside our master." He noticed that the Rider he was speaking of was asleep in Lifaen's arms. "Is she alright?"

"Of course she is, Idiot." Another said, a female elf. Lifaen looked at her. She had the same slight build has the man before him but had starlight white hair and dangerous dark looking eyes. Her dragon, which stood behind her, was black as the night. "She's just sleeping. She had to test all four of us and you didn't help it along any."

"What was I supposed to do, Alia? I wanted to show her that I was ready to come here. She still knocked me on my ass no matter how fast I was. After the tenth time, I wasn't sure if she would let me come. And how do you know what I did? Each of our testing,"

"Children," Lifaen said calmly, but it stopped their talking. Of course they weren't children, but to him and Florina, they were. Another Rider walked up to them. It was clear he had been waiting for some signal and had heard them. "There are four empty rooms. He'll take you to them." Lifaen picked up his wife bridal and walked away. Kuldra grabbed her saddle and flew after them to the small house on the distant hill. They lived simply instead of grand. They had built the manors for the younger Riders to live in. There weren't many at the moment, but they had enough room for now. When the time came, he and Eleryna would sing another manor just as they had done for the last two. Their simple living was Florina's idea. She didn't like the idea of living lavishly. Lifaen knew it was from her upbringing in Kuasta. Kuldra lived in a nearby cave, close enough to be near her Rider, but also far enough to allow her some privacy.

Lifaen laid his wife on the bed, removed her boots and the little bit of armor she always wore when she went on trips and covered her with the blanket, noticing the rose he had sent with Oromis was in her hair. He would have to ask her about it in the morning. He took off his boots and climbed into bed next to her, wrapping a protective arm around her waist and fell asleep.

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><p>"Sorry about that." Alia whispered to the human Rider. He looked at her and noticed that her dark eyes looked tired and they hadn't even begun to live their lives.<p>

"For what?" He asked.

"About calling you an idiot. It was rude of me. But I would like to go to bed and staying up as long as we did hasn't helped." He looked at the other two Riders. They were bulkier than he was and normally picked on him because he was a human while they were both an Urgal and a dwarf. They thought that it was funny that a female dragon had picked him. He would often remind them that Saphira, a female, had chosen Eragon for her Rider. It usually shut them up for the rest of the day. Alia normally remained aloof and with her dragon. "Though, it is true that you didn't go easy on her, Edan. And the only reason I know that is because you took the longest out of all of us." The human smirked as he looked at the elf.

"I wanted to prove myself to her. To show her that Kilana made the right choice in Rider. And don't worry about it. I'm more interested in those two elves she left behind. Didn't you hear, they're both newly chosen. The bronze was chosen at the palace and the other in Ellesméra."

"Yes, I heard the other Riders that came with them talking about it. The girl I can understand. But who was the other one. They looked a lot alike."

"What's this about Nëa and Oromis?" Their guide called back to them.

"You know them?" Alia and Edan said together.

"Of course. All the Riders know them. They were born about twenty years ago now. I was here when that happened. Lady Golden Rider and Lord Lifaen were beaming for the first five months. You couldn't talk to Lord Lifaen about anything else for the first year."

"Wait, they're half-elves?" The urgal and dwarf cut in. The Rider nodded.

"Yeah. So what happened to them?"

"It's not our place to say." Alia answered quickly. "Lord Lifaen should be the first to know."

"Alright, whatever you say. Here's the manor you're staying in. There are no girl/guy wings. It's wherever you find a room. You'll know which ones are occupied by the symbols on the door. No symbol, no occupant."

"We have to choose a symbol?" The dwarf questioned.

"You already have. It'll appear on the door. See you in the morning." He walked away and the four newest Riders walked into the manor that was now their home.

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><p>He watched her as she got ready for the day. She needed to talk to the newest Riders that she had brought with her. They were expecting their Rider blades and she had some news to break to them.<p>

"So, where are the children?"

"With Eragon." She answered, tucking the rose into her hair.

"Why?" She turned to him, a familiar light in her eyes. She had had the same light in her eyes when she had discovered she was pregnant and when the twins were born. He smiled. "Both of them?" She nodded.

"Nëa in Ellesméra and Oromis at the palace. Silver and bronze. They decided together that they should learn straight from a master instead of the elves first."

"And they didn't want you?"

"They know how I teach." She laughed. "They are in for a surprise. Eragon is more like Oromis than I am in my teaching. Which is what these new Riders need. Except for one. Edan. He's the human Rider that came with me. No matter how many he times he went down, he kept getting back up. It reminded me of Eragon when he was first learning to fight from me and Brom. And of Oromis and Nëa." She looked away and Lifaen recognized the rose. It was the newest one he had made for her. The one he had sent with Oromis.

"The blood magic tried working on you again." It wasn't a question, but she nodded anyway and looked at her hand.

"Nëa wanted to know about Galbatorix. She was afraid to touch the egg in Ellesméra. She told me that she would only do it if I told her about her grandfather, about Galbatorix. I was talking to Eragon about it while they were sleeping after the bronze hatched for Oromis. I felt it trying to take control of me. I grabbed at Naegling's hilt. I hadn't realized I had drawn the blade some. I thought I was grabbing the hilt, I let the pain drive away the darkness that threatened. But it didn't help. The only thing that did was Nëa. She must have followed because she heard us talking. She was able to pull me back. That's when I realized what was happening." She smiled. "The memory that pulled me back was when she jumped off Kuldra's nose, remember?"

"How could I forget? I didn't see you there and was terrified." Florina laughed. He had been helping some Riders with their magic that day.

"After that, I told them what happened to me during the war and what Galbatorix had done. And the fear I had." She hugged herself and he got up and pulled her into his arms. "I'm afraid, Lifaen. I'm afraid that Murtagh was bonded to me though the blood magic. I'm afraid that he will come and recognize me as queen and try to place me. I'm afraid that I'll let him." She was crying now, releasing all her fears the only way she could. Lifaen held her, stroking her hair. It had been a shock for both of them when they found out that the blood magic had not completely left. They had been visiting Nasuada about a year after they had cleaned up Vroengard and had been there for the birth of her son. Lifaen had found her walking to the baby's room, a knife in her hand. He had barely managed to stop her and they had left immediately, leaving a note explaining why and to not tell anyone. They didn't understand what had happened as Florina had given up the throne to Nasuada and her line. "What do I do, Lifaen?"

"You fight it, Love. You fight it with everything that you have and everything that you are." She looked at him. "You accept that you are his daughter in blood. But you also know that you are Caleb's daughter first. He and Emily raised you into the woman you have become and the woman I fall in love with every day. Fight against it with my love for you, the love of your children, your friends. You have people around you who love you and who will do anything to protect you." He looked into her dark eyes, seeing the fear she had and was afraid to let anyone else see. "Most of all, I will fight it. You are my life and if I lost you, I don't know what I would do. I doubt even the twins would be able to bring me back from the brink if I lost you. I lost you once, I'm not willing to let you go again. Do you understand? Never again am I going to lose you. And you'll never lose me."

"You can't say that."

"Florina," he lifted her chin so they were looking in each other's eyes. "Even if this darkness takes you again, I will find a way to bring you back. I won't ever give up. And I don't ever want _you_ to give up. If this darkness starts trying to take you away, you fight and find me. I will fight it with you. The Riders need you. I need you. The children need you." Florina nodded and he held her close. He hated that he couldn't know exactly what she was feeling. _"At least I know how to fight it, and how to keep her sane."_

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><p><strong>Hope you all enjoyed that. Please review and thanks for reading!<strong>


	4. The Final Command

**So, to take a break from Florina and how well she is doing, we turn to Murtagh, hehehe. enjoy!**

**by the way**_, italics without quotation marks are Murtagh/Thorn thought and communication_

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><p>He looked up as he heard the flaps of his dragon returning from his hunt. The red Rider looked up as the two hundred year old dragon descended from the sky. Without the Eldunarí that Galbatorix had given them, Thorn's growing had slowed and his mind had been able to catch up with his body and then grow together. Neither of them had healed from the war and what had been done to them. So much had happened in the course of a matter of months after Thorn had hatched and it had left its mark. He looked in from time to time on his siblings, listening in on conversations and just looking at them. From his spying, he knew that Eragon and Saphira had found somewhere they would not be threatened and that he was an uncle as Florina and Lifaen had children of their own. But he knew that Florina wasn't was healed as she pretended to be. He had no idea what Galbatorix had done to his own daughter, but he was sure that it wasn't what normal father's did to their children.<p>

_You think too much._ Thorn said as he landed.

_That's all we have time for nowadays. _Murtagh replied dryly. They had spent the last two hundred years in the frigid north and had seen no other signs of life except for some strange creatures that Thorn hunted and shared with his Rider.

_We could always take your sister up on her offer. All you have to do is ask her where she is and she'll tell you._

_ She offered us a place where we will never belong._

_ She offered us a home with her as her family. I know you have never known it and I would like to. Besides, I would also like to see Kuldra again. _Murtagh smirked and chuckled. Thorn snorted as he deposited what was left of his kill next to his Rider to cook, dry, and store for later. It had been that way for the past two hundred years.

_Eragon made us that same offer._

_ And he lives in isolation training the new Riders who surface. Florina keeps them sharp. We could help with that. _Thorn looked at his Rider. _Being unwanted isn't what's bothering you. You are worried about what the spell will make you do._

_ It holds no sway over us. We are not the same that we were when he cast it._

_ Neither is Florina, but it appears to still be affecting her._

_ How can you tell?_

_ When you scryed her the other day, I noticed something I only saw when Kuldra had been threatened. I saw fear in her eyes. There is nothing threatening Kuldra now. No one to make sure that Kuldra is held at the point of a sword should Florina misbehave. The only other thing that would make Florina afraid would be the spell that her father cast._

_ And what does that have to do with me not wanting to go and stay with her?_

_ You are afraid that the spell still holds sway over you just like it does her. You are afraid that you will follow his last command and place his daughter on the throne. Nasuada's great-granddaughter sits on the throne now and has for the last couple of years. You are afraid that the spell will blind you to that and that you will kill her and place your sister on the chair that her birth has slated for her._

"YOU KNOW NOTHING!" Murtagh yelled aloud. He took a deep breath and looked at his partner of life. _I am not the same man I was when that spell was placed. That darkness cannot take me like it can Florina. What I am afraid of is that just seeing me will turn the other Riders against her. She is their leader. If they see me arrive, they may turn on her._

_ Whatever you say. _Thorn said and settled behind his Rider. Murtagh looked at the stars. They both knew that Thorn was right. They knew that whatever spell Galbatorix had said wasn't bound to what their names had been. He didn't know how it worked and didn't want to find out how.

"And I don't deserve to be happy and have a home. I betrayed my brother when he offered me help." Murtagh whispered. "I hurt Nasuada when she was a prisoner. I killed the man who could have helped us."

_That last one wasn't your fault. Galbatorix used you. _

_ The fact remains that I killed him. He could have helped save us if we had let him live. And then Florina and Kuldra never would have been recaptured. There is so much that we should have done differently, no matter the consequences._ The two of them looked at Thorn's tail. Galbatorix had healed it with the help of the Eldunarí after they had killed Oromis and Glaedr over Gil'ead. Murtagh sighed and watched the flames, wishing that he had never gone with Ajihad and the Twins after the Urgals in Farthen Dûr. Before long, he was asleep against his dragon's warm belly.

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><p><em>Murtagh!<em>

The red Rider jumped to his feet, drawing Zar'roc at the same time. Thorn nodded towards the distance where a light was streaking towards them and they both knew that it wasn't the dawn. Murtagh grabbed his shield and got into his stance. Thorn got to his feet and they waited. Moments later, the light turned into a figure, two figures. Dragon and Rider recognized the shapes as a dragon and its Rider. The light turned red and Murtagh wondered who could have found them. None of the current Riders knew where he was, even if they scryed him, they would only see darkness. If Florina or Eragon scryed him, they would see him on a white background

_Maybe it's a new Rider wanting to see as much of the land as possible. _Thorn said.

_We wouldn't be preparing to fight if that was the case. We would just hide. I have a feeling that we can't hide from this, whatever it is._

They waited in silence. The dragon landed a few yards from their camp and its Rider dismounted. The two of them walked toward Murtagh and Thorn, stopping only feet from the fire. Murtagh growled in his throat as he recognized the figure.

"What are you doing here, Bastard?" Murtagh resisted the urge to touch his scar as Morzan grinned.

"That is no way to talk to your father, Son." Morzan said, his voice echoing over the empty land around them. "As for your question, I thought you were more loyal to your family, royal or not."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am talking about your half-sister. You know that she is the king's daughter. Yet she is hidden on an island and leading the Riders when she should be ruling over the Empire that her father created."

"She gave it up."

"She can't give up what is hers by birth." Morzan said. "The king charged you with a responsibility. He commanded you that in the event of his death, you were to ensure that his daughter got what was hers. Well, the Empire is hers and yet a peasant from the desert sits on the throne and rules the Empire." Murtagh and Thorn heard the anger in the spirit's voice. They didn't know if it was actually the ghost of the dead Rider or some creature hoping to kill them.

"She doesn't want to the throne. She wants to live in peace and lead the Riders and be with the man she loves. She has that and more. She has a family of her own now. I will not take that from her. His command holds no sway over me. I have changed since then."

"You never did understand. The king did not use the magic that you know. He did not use the ancient language. He used Shade magic, blood magic. I never did take to it and he accepted that. But I did give him my permission to use it on me and mine if it came to that. And he did. He used blood magic on you and the queen."

"You're lying!"

"Am I? Don't you remember what the king spread over your forehead as he spoke in some strange language?" Murtagh shook his head to clear it of the memory. He had thought it a dream that his drunken mind had created.

_ It shouldn't be real._

"Thorn remembers, don't you Thorn?" Morzan grinned as he noticed the change in his son and his dragon. "That is a good son. Just as I served the father, you will serve the child. The blood magic in her has grown stronger over the past two hundred years. It may take some time, but you must get it to take control of your sister. You will not be able to accomplish this if she is with people who love her. You will have to take her from them. Her and her dragon."

"Her dragon will keep the magic from taking hold." Murtagh's voice was flat as he listened to his father. "She will be able to keep it at bay."

"The magic has grown strong enough that once it takes control of your sister, it will take control of her dragon as well. They will both do as the king meant for them to. They will lead the Empire. With you by her side, she will be able to take the throne from the desert rats that sit upon it without much trouble. Your brother won't be able to stop her. She has grown strong enough that no one can stop her except herself. Which, with the blood magic in control, she won't."

"What do I do about her family?"

"Leave them alive. At least her children. They could prove useful to her. And when you get the chance, kill Brom's meddling offspring. The elves will no doubt reach out to him for help when the two of you descend upon Urû'bean." Morzan mounted his dragon and it took flight, flying into the distance until they disappeared. By that time, the sun was starting to rise and Murtagh pulled his mirror from his bag and whispered the spell. Florina's face soon appeared in the mirror. Her hair was messed and he chuckled lightly.

"Hello, Murtagh. Is something wrong?" She asked as she attempted to fix her hair.

"I was hoping there was still room in your hearth for me." He answered and she smiled.

"There is always room for family. Come to Vroengard. We'll have a house made ready for you unless you would like to make it yourself."

"I would be honored to live in something you have made for me, Sister." Florina smiled.

"Be here soon." He ended the spell. Murtagh grinned.

_She doesn't suspect a thing. _

_ And she won't as long as we play like we are going to live there. After we have captured them, what we will do._

_ Before we go, we'll make a castle here in the north. We can bring them back here until the blood magic takes control again. After that is her call._ Thorn nodded and the two of them set to work.

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><p><strong>Looking forward to reading your reviews. Thanks for reading!<strong>


	5. Taken

**Review response: Okay, so there was a little bit of confusion at the end of the last chapter. Murtagh and Thorn did turn good because they had forgotten about the night when Galbatorix placed the blood spell on them. The spirit said the right things to get the blood magic to take control. It's all magic. Hope that helps, White Okami. If not, I hope I can explain it better in possibly the next chapter if not a little bit later than that.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><em><strong>"Why are you nervous, Brave One? You are the one who invited him."<strong>_

_** "I know. But this is going to be the first time that I've seen him in person since I helped Eragon kill Galbatorix."**_

_** "So?"**_

_** "So, what if he is going to despise me for it?"**_

_** "Why would he? Your brother was as much of a prisoner as you were. You are worried about the blood magic."**_

_** "Of course I am worried about it!" **_Florina stopped in her pacing and looked at her gold dragon. _**"Galbatorix was nothing if not prepared. He could have very easily placed a blood spell on Murtagh just like he did to me. The only thing is we don't know what his trigger is. For me, it's when I see someone on Galbatorix's throne." **_Florina shook her head to rid herself of the compulsion to fly to Ilirea and take said throne. She looked at Kuldra when the urge had passed. _**"What if just seeing me triggers the spell in him?"**_

_** "What if there is no spell on your brother? You are worrying for nothing, Brave One."**_

"Florina, what is the matter?" It was Lifaen.

_"She is being worried about nothing." _Kuldra answered before Florina could. The Rider glared at her dragon before turning to her husband.

"The blood magic." He said and she nodded. "He wouldn't have asked to come if he wasn't sure. You don't need to be worried that. Seeing him won't trigger your blood magic and I doubt that Galbatorix placed a similar spell on him."

"You can't be sure, Lifaen. He was drunk most of the time. He drank to escape the pain of having to live with what Galbatorix was making him do. He could have very easily forgotten if Galbatorix spelled him with the blood magic." Lifaen sighed and picked up the gold and white rose from her night table and placed it in her hair.

"Love, no matter what happens, I will be here to protect you. Even if seeing him brings on the blood magic, Kuldra and I are here to protect you. We will keep you hidden until it has passed and then we will work on finding a way to rid the two of you of it completely. Do you hear me? We will fight this together." Florina smiled.

"Thank you."

"Lady Golden Rider, a Rider approaches!" Florina turned to look at her husband.

"Together." He said and grabbed her hand.

"Together." She agreed and they walked out of their simple house and to the fields which had been set aside for practice and dragon landings and take off. Kuldra circled above them. "Let him land!" She called to the Riders who were circling her brother. Thorn landed and Murtagh dismounted as the couple crested the hill. Florina broke away and ran to her brother, catching him in a hug. The Riders looked on in shock. She knew many of them wondered why she was greeting him in such a manner. They had been told stories of how he had betrayed the Varden and their masters, Eragon and Saphira, during the war. She and Eragon and Nasuada had tried to keep the lies from spreading, but it was no use. It hadn't helped that Murtagh had run away to the north.

"Lady Golden Rider, step away from him!" Florina looked at the gathered Riders and saw one of the newest, an elf by the name of Alia, standing next to Lifaen with her dragon. She had her regular sword drawn. Florina could see that Alia knew that she may not win, but it wasn't stopping the elf from trying, even if it meant her death.

"It is alright, Alia. I invited him here."

"Are you crazy?" Alia called back. "He betrayed you and our masters. He killed your master and kidnapped you during the war."

"And I have forgiven him." Florina called back, standing in front of her older brother. She had thought that Alia was ready for her blade, but she was still clouded by what she was told as a child, and what she had seen during the war. Thirty years had passed and the only one of the four of them to receive their sword had been Edan, the human Rider bonded to Kilana.

"How can you forgive him for that?" Lifaen placed a hand on the elf's shoulder and pushed the blade down.

"It seems that you still have much to learn, Child." Florina answered. "Go to the falls and meditate. Let the answer come to you." Alia growled and rammed her sword into its scabbard before sulking away. "Does anyone else have anything to say against Rider Murtagh?" No one answered. "Then get back to your tasks." The Riders and their dragons scattered and Florina turned to Murtagh. "I'm sorry about that, Brother. Most of them have a hard time seeing past what happened during the war. Especially the elves."

"It's understandable, Sister." Murtagh said. Florina thought she heard a note of flatness in his voice but then dismissed it.

"Come, you must be hungry after your flight. Thorn, Kuldra set aside some Snagli for the two of you." Florina glanced at her dragon as said dragon glanced away. Florina felt a thin tendril of excitement and shyness from her dragon and had to control herself from laughing. _**"Go on. He's not your brother. Besides, it's about time you found yourself a mate."**_ Kuldra growled in her mind and this time Florina did start laughing. Lifaen and Murtagh looked at her. She shook her head and Kuldra took flight. Murtagh took Thorn's saddle and carried it, walking beside Lifaen and his sister. "So, Murtagh, have you been in the north this entire time?"

"Yes. And before you ask, it's cold and lonely. There are no people that live there as far as I can tell."

"It used to be a land filled with wild dragons." Florina said. "But they all live with Eragon now, not knowing that they have a home away from the Riders."

"How is Eragon doing?"

"He is doing well. He sends me Riders who have nothing more to learn from him. Most of them still have things to learn. They seem like little things to them, but they are still important."

"You sound like Mother." Florina's smile faltered a little.

"A mother I never knew."

"You can't blame her for that." Murtagh said quickly, sounding like himself again.

"I know." Florina answered. "And I don't. She made sure that I grew up. Made sure that I had a chance to be a child." Murtagh looked at her brother and saw anger simmering in his eyes. "Murtagh," she stopped midsentence as she felt a sudden rush of emotions from Kuldra, the strongest being passion. She glanced at Murtagh and noticed that he was blushing and the tips of his ears were red. She wrapped an arm possessively around her husband. Lifaen looked down at his wife and noticed that she was blushing a bright red and guessed what was happening when he noticed the red on Murtagh's face as well. He cleared his throat, but didn't try to pull away from Florina. The two Riders looked at him. Florina sighed and Lifaen laughed.

"My dear, I don't think I've seen you blush like this since your first Blood-oath Celebration." He laughed. She punched him in the arm.

"You try being bonded with a mating dragon." She growled and he laughed harder.

"If you two will excuse me, but where is my home. I would like to clean up before dinner and, I am sure, the two of you would like some privacy." Florina raised an eyebrow before pointing.

"Beyond those trees is a clearing. I figured you wouldn't want to be around the others. And judging by your welcome today, I would say I made the right choice. It's simple, but if you would like to make it a bit grander, I will not blame you for wanting the comforts you had before. We live simply here because it was their power that led to the Riders' decline. Good night, Brother." The couple walked away and Murtagh walked toward his house, his cheeks still hot from Thorn's mating with Kuldra. He had shared the memories of the Eldunarí he had been given of a moment like this, but to experience it first hand as the partner of a mating dragon was something different altogether. Not to mention that he could see how much it was affecting Florina who was with her husband. He let his eyes return to their flat look as he approached his house. Seeing it made him second guess his real motive for coming to Vroengard. But the moment passed quickly and he walked into the house. Thorn would be occupied for a while yet.

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><p>She laughed as the silver dragon, Evarínya, spun and she let go of the straps. Below the silver dragon, a bronze dragon flew, a serious look in his eyes. Delinnëa sighed and directed Evarínya closer to her brother and his dragon, Glaedr. He had named him in honor of their mother's master who had given up his eternal freedom to ensure that Galbatorix lost the war.<p>

"Come on, Oromis. Lighten up. We're going to see Mom and Dad again after thirty long years." Evarínya spun again and Delinnëa drew her sword. She swung at her brother who used magic shield just in time. "Oromis," Delinnëa chided, "you've forgotten the first rule of a wizards duel." She attacked him with her mind while the dragon mock fought beneath them. They continued like this until dark and they had to land on the coast for the night. The duel ended without either of them breaching the other's mind and they were both too tired to continue a sword fight.

"Nëa?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you think Uncle sent us back so soon?"

"Maybe because there isn't much more we can learn from him. You know that the Riders on Vroengard don't all have their Rider's blades yet." She answered. Oromis looked at her and could tell that she was worried about something.

"So, you saw the look in his eyes as well." It was a statement more than a question, but she nodded anyway.

"That was the reason for the sparring session today. Before we left, I scryed home. It looked fine, but something seemed…off about it. I'm guessing Uncle felt the same."

"Did you try talking to Mom?"

"No. I couldn't find her." Oromir pulled out a bowl and emptied his water skin into it before murmuring the spell, focused on his mother. Nëa watched with him. Her heart sank when the water remained black. "That shouldn't be happening. Even if she had shielded herself from being scryed, she would have made sure that we could see her. She always has before. Something's wrong."

"This must be why Uncle sent us back."

_"Glaedr and I can make it across the ocean." _Evarínya said from across the clearing.

_"Are you sure?" _Oromis asked. He knew that it was not a journey to be taken lightly.

_"We are sure." _Glaedr answered. The twins looked at each other and nodded, quickly breaking camp and climbing back into the saddles. They were barely settled when the dragons took off again, flying across the ocean. The trip took them a day and a half to cross the ocean. But they didn't land in the fields. They flew straight to the clearing where they had grown up. The dragons had barely landed when the twins jumped from the saddles and ran inside. They found their father in their mother's study, tear streaks the only clean part of his face. Nëa walked up to him and touched him on the shoulder.

"Dad?" She whispered. He looked at her.

"Nëa?" She nodded. He looked over the desk. "Oromis?" He nodded. "My children." Oromis moved forward and Lifaen caught them in a hug. The twins, however, were worried. They had never seen their father like this before.

"Dad," Oromis said gently. Lifaen released them and looked at his son. "Where is Mother? Where is the Golden Rider and why can't we scry her?"

"The Golden Rider, your mother, has been taken." Lifaen said. Nëa turned pale and Oromis gripped the hilt of his sword.

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><p><strong>I was going to add another scene after this, but I decided it was better to leave it off here. Hehehe. Thank you for reading and please review!<strong>


	6. The Second Betrayal

**Here is what happened to Florina. Enjoy!**

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><p>She groaned and lifted her head as she opened her eyes. A sharp gust of cold air made her curl into the blankets before she could get a good look at the room she was in. She knew she wasn't on Vroengard. She didn't feel the comfort of home as she reached out with her mind. She felt Kuldra, Murtagh, and Thorn. <em><strong>"We were captured by something? The Riders!"<strong>_ She jumped out of bed and ran to the nearby mirror and scryed her home and the Riders that lived there. They were safe, but in a frenzy. _**"So, I was taken. But by who?"**_ She let go of the magic as the door opened behind her. Murtagh stepped in and looked at the bed. Florina hid in the shadows to make it seem like she had gone to explore wherever they were.

"I know you are here, Sister." He said, his voice flat. It was the same flatness she had thought she had heard back on Vroengard when he arrived. She remembered fighting with someone. It had been her and Kuldra. She had heard something outside her house and had gone to investigate. She hadn't wanted to bother Lifaen because he was exhausted from earlier in the day. She was to, but she still needed to investigate whether the sound was a danger to her and her husband and her dragon. Kuldra was standing outside the door. She was beaten up and it wasn't from the mating. Her landing had been what had woken her. Florina closed her eyes, trying to remember. She had had Naegling in her hand. Florina cracked open and eye and saw the sword on the chest at the foot of the bed that Murtagh was sitting on. She noticed the flatness in his eyes. It had been the last thing before her world had gone black during her fight.

"You bastard!" She screamed and rushed for Naegling. Murtagh drew Zar'roc and blocked her attack. "I let you into my home! I let your dragon mate with mine! And this is how you thank me? By spiriting us off to gods know where!" She struck at him again.

"Vroengard is not where you belong." Murtagh replied, his voice even and cold. It only angered her more.

"Of course it's where I belong! I am the leader of the Riders! My husband is there! My family!"

"You are not just the leader of the Riders, Florina. You are the queen-"

She grabbed him by his shirt and held Naegling to his throat. "Don't even finish that sentence." She growled. "I am not the queen. Nasuada's great-granddaughter is the queen now. Galbatorix's blood will never again sit on the throne in Ilirea. Now, where is Kuldra? The two of us are going home, where you are no longer welcome. I thought you had changed, Murtagh. I thought that you would have fought against this magic like I have been. I thought you were stronger than your father."

"I can't let you go home. Not yet. Not when it is not ready for your arrival."

"What?" But he never answered her. Instead, he muttered a word and she knew only darkness again.

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><p>"I will go to Queen Arya." Delinnëa offered. "I will tell her what happened and try to get her help."<p>

"No," Lifaen said. "What we need the elves to do is find the way to break this blood magic her father forced on her. Murtagh is controlled by that magic. That's why he took her. I've no doubt he will try to get it to take control of your mother."

"What will she do if he succeeds?" Oromis asked. Delinnëa remembered the darkness she had seen in her mother's eyes when Evarínya hatched and when she had maimed her hand at the palace.

"She will become like her father." Lifaen answered. "She and Murtagh will fly upon Ilirea and destroy it and Murtagh will place your mother on the throne."

"To do that, she would have to kill the queen." Oromis said. "That's Queen Nasuada's great-granddaughter. Mother promised Nasuada her friendship."

"Yes, your mother did." Lifaen said. "But the woman who will be dethroning her won't be your mother. If the blood magic takes root in her, your mother will be a different woman. She won't care who she hurts if they stand in her way."

"But Kuldra's with her. Kuldra won't let anything happen to her."

"Nëa, as with all things, I fear that this magic has only grown stronger the longer it has remained dormant. If Murtagh succeeds in getting it to control your mother, it will control Kuldra as well."

"We need Eragon's help." Oromis said. "He'll know what to do. He knows things that can help us. I will go to him and tell him what has happened. He should hear about it from family anyhow."

"Who will tell the queen?" Delinnëa asked. With Florina gone, everyone was looking to Lifaen for guidance even though he wasn't a Rider.

"I will." A voice answered from the door. The elf and his children looked at the Rider who had walked into the house. "She is my family."

"Elva," Lifaen began.

"Lord Lifaen, it should be me. Oromis is right. News like this should be heard from family. Besides, if Florina and Kuldra do descend upon Ilirea with Murtagh and Thorn, they need someone who can stand up to them."

"You won't be able to fight both of them alone."

"And you won't be able to fight your own mother, Nëa." Elva shot back.

"Delinnëa is right." Lifaen said. "You cannot fight two Riders by yourself. But you are right as well. Neither of these two will be able to fight their own mother no matter if she changes or not. That being said, Edan and Kilana will go with you. The rest of the Riders will stay here until we know more. Without Florina here, the weight of leading the Riders falls to your master, Eragon. Nëa, Oromis, if your dragons are ready, you must leave immediately. You and Jade as well, Elva. We do not have time to waste. Every moment Florina and Kuldra spend with Murtagh, the more time he has to try to get the blood magic to take control." The three Riders nodded and left. Lifaen shuffled to his bedroom. Florina had left in the middle of the night and had not returned. He looked at her side table and noticed the rose was not there and he remembered that he had placed it back into her hair after they were done. _"Please let it be enough."_

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><p>She held the rose in her hand and looked at it. Lifaen had put it back into her hair before they fell asleep because she had gotten scared again. She had expressed feeling that something wasn't right with Murtagh. They had both agreed that it was her fear of the blood magic that was leading to her paranoia. But she wasn't being paranoid. Something was wrong with Murtagh and it was the blood magic. Something had triggered it in him before he had even contacted her about going to Vroengard. <em><strong>"And now he knows where it is. He can descend upon it and destroy the Riders Eragon and I worked so hard to help. At least he doesn't know where Eragon and the other eggs are."<strong>_ She waited for Kuldra to say something and her heart fell when the gold dragon didn't answer. She had been in Murtagh's castle for the past three days and heard nothing from Kuldra, even though she felt her nearby. She wasn't with Thorn anymore. She had nearly killed him when she had found out that they had been tricked. Just as Florina had nearly killed Murtagh. She had only stayed her hand because he was family. _**"He said that my home is not ready yet. That can only mean one thing. When he thinks I'm ready, we'll fly upon Ilirea and he will make me follow in my father's footsteps. I can't let that happen. I have to get out of here. I need to get back to Vroengard and prepare the Riders." **_She stopped short as she stood, a long forgotten memory filtering through her mind.

_**"Two trees and the hawthorn root. You will be betrayed twice, and it will be done by members of your family." **_Angela's voice said in her mind. Florina sank to the floor. She had been betrayed by the woman she called mother all of her life. That had been the first betrayal. She had forgotten about the second, thinking that she had averted it when Galbatorix had been killed. She drew her knees toward her and rested her head on them and cried. Angela's prophecy had come true, every word of it had come true.

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><p>She growled at the red dragon across the cave from her. She had been trying to contact Florina for the past three days and had failed in every attempt. She wasn't sure who was shielded from reaching out with her mind. She guessed it was Florina as Murtagh tried to get into her mind often and she could reach out of the castle with hers. They were somewhere in the north, far from any help. The door opened and she growled.<p>

"Peace, Kuldra. I only want to talk."

_"I've nothing to talk about with a betrayer like you. Your sister invited you into our home and you spirit her off to the north away from everyone she loves and that loves her."_

"I brought you along."

_"You know what I mean."_ Kuldra snapped. _"What manner of spell have you placed to make it so I can't talk to her?"_

"That is not important. What is important is that you behave yourself. The queen will kill me if I let any harm come to you."

_"She doesn't want to be queen. She's never wanted to be queen."_

"It is hers nonetheless. Giving the throne to someone else didn't work because her father spelled against it. That is why she nearly killed Nasuada's son. The blood magic will never leave her, no matter what she tries to do."

_"You mean to invoke the blood magic in her! Are you crazy? You won't be able to control the power that will come of it!"_

"I don't want to control her. She will control me. I will follow my queen wherever she goes. When I unlock her full potential, the world will tremble at her feet, as it should."

_"I won't let it happen. I will pull her back from the blood magic and we will hide until it fades again."_

"Ah, but you see, how are you going to do that when the blood magic will affect you as well?"

_"What are you talking about?"_

"The blood magic has grown stronger in both of us. Once it has taken full control of her, I will remove the spell. Because the bond between the two of you is so strong, the power of the blood magic will also control you and you and Florina will be of one mind in all things. You won't try to bring her from the blood magic. You will gladly follow her wishes as her partner-of-heart-and-mind."

_"I'm not the only one who can bring her from the blood magic." _Kuldra said smugly, remembering how Nëa had brought Florina from its grip at Eragon's palace.

"I know that. That is why you both will stay here until there is no place for anyone's voice to reach her." Murtagh smiled smugly as Kuldra breathed fire at him, trying to kill him. He only laughed as it split around him, leaving him and Thorn unharmed.

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><p><strong>Go on, say it. I'm interested to hear what you have to yell at me. hehehe. Thanks for reading and please review.<strong>


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